March 9, 2002

Fayetteville, Ark. - Notre Dame senior Liz Grow placed fourth today in the 400 meters, while the women's 4x400 relay team was ninth at the 2002 NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships, in Fayetteville, Ark.

Grow, who came into today's race with the third-fastest time after setting the Notre Dame school record in the 400 meters yesterday at 52.73, fell one position to fourth with a time of 52.88 today. Rice's Allison Beckford won the event in a time of 51.16. South Carolina's Demetria Washington was second in 52.41, followed by Moushaumi Robinson of Texas in third (52.68) and Grow.

A senior from New Braunfels, Texas, Grow's fourth-place finish is the best result ever by a Notre Dame female athlete at the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships. Former Irish distance runner JoAnna Deeter has held the highest finish when she was sixth in the 5,000 meters in 1999.

For her efforts, Grow earned her second All-America citation in the indoor 400 meters. Last season, Grow became the first Irish female track and field athlete to earn All-America honors after placing eighth at the NCAA meet.

Grow also ran the anchor leg tonight on the 4x400 relay team, which finished ninth in a time of 3:38.99. Grow and her relay mates Kymia Love, Kristen Dodd and Ayesha Boyd became the first Notre Dame relay team to qualify for the NCAA Championships after setting a Notre Dame school record last weekend at the Alex Wilson Invitational in a time of 3:35.59. As a team, Notre Dame finished tied for 34th place.